Silver Loaf Cake Food

SILVER LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Sift, flour, baking powder and salt in bowl.
• Beat together sugar, milk, Crisco and vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients, stir until blended.
• Beat egg whites until stiff, fold into mixture.
• Add nuts and chocolate chips.
• Pur into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

SIMNEL LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Put the mixed dried fruit in a bowl with the orange juice and zest and 1 tbsp water. Cover and microwave for 2 mins, then leave to cool completely. Alternatively, heat gently in a pan, stirring now and then until the liquid has been absorbed and leave to cool.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and oil a 900g loaf tin before lining the base and sides with baking parchment. Roll out 50g of the marzipan into a sausage that is as long as the loaf tin. Wrap the remaining the marzipan and set aside for later. Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs, flour, almonds, baking powder, lemon zest, mixed spice and vanilla (all in one go) and mix until well combined. Stir in the cooled, soaked dried fruit, then fold in the cherries.
• Pour the cake batter into the tin until it is halfway full. Lay the sausage of marzipan down the middle, then scrape in the remaining cake mixture, making sure the marzipan is covered. Bake for 40-50 mins. Check it's cooked by inserting a skewer into the cake, if any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for another 10 mins, then check again. Cool in the tin for 15 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Mix the icing sugar with the juice from the lemon and enough water (about 1 tbsp) to make a thick but pourable icing. Roll the remaining marzipan into 6-8 equal-sized balls, and caramelise, if you like (see tip below). Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake, letting it stream down the sides a little. Top with the marzipan balls, alternating each one with a cherry. Will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

VICTORIA SPONGE LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Oil a 950g loaf tin (ours measured 19 x 9cm across the base) and line with a strip of baking parchment, leaving a little hanging over the edges - this will help you lift the cake out later. Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3.
• Put the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl, or stand mixer. Beat together using an electric whisk or the mixer until pale and fluffy - this will take a few minutes.
• Gradually add the egg, a little at a time, beating well between each addition until the mixture is smooth. Add a tablespoon or two of the flour if it's starting to curdle.
• Add the remaining flour, the milk and vanilla, and mix until there are no visible streaks of flour. Scrape into the prepared tin, then use a spatula to evenly spread it and smooth the surface. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 50 mins-1 hr, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If any wet cake mixture clings to the skewer, bake for 5 mins more, then check again. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then carefully transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Chop four of the strawberries into small pieces and mix with 1 tsp of the icing sugar. Set aside. Halve or quarter some of the remaining strawberries and leave the rest whole. Mix the remaining icing sugar with 2 tsp of the jam and all the lemon juice to make a thick icing - it should be thick enough to drizzle down the sides of the cake. Pour the cream into a bowl and whisk until it's just holding its shape - be careful not to overwhisk, as it will continue to thicken as you pipe it. Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a fine star nozzle.
• Slice the cake in half lengthways through the middle using a sharp serrated knife. Spread a little of the remaining jam over the base layer. Pipe half the whipped cream over in a zig-zag pattern and top with the chopped strawberries and any syrupy juice from the bowl. Sandwich with the top of the cake. Pipe the remaining whipped cream over in the same way, then arrange the halved, quartered and whole strawberries on top. Drizzle over the icing to finish. Best served the same day, but will keep covered in the fridge for up to three days.

LEMON POUND CAKE LOAVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two 5-3/4x3x2-in loaf pans., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon zest and extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, mix icing ingredients. Spoon over loaves. Freeze option: Do not make icing. Securely wrap cooled loaves in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze. To use, thaw at room temperature. Prepare icing as directed.

GOLDEN LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Sift together flour, salt and baking powder.
• Beat Crisco, vanilla, milk, sugar and egg yolks.
• Add dry ingredients mix until smooth.
• Add nuts and cherries.
• Pour into a greased loaf pan, bake at 350 for 1 hour.